Great update on the early enrollees.

Are you interested in getting a quick update on new enrollees?
I know most you really don't care but if you do, check out this informative update on this other U of M blog. Unfortunately no mention of how many coeds Tate has dated this week.

The two that run the blog are contributors (at least one is) to Scout on their premium message board and both are paying memebers and one is a MOD (EROC). There are a few others that also help contribute to both Eroc's blog and GBW, one who is friends with EROC and is close to the program. This other person (MAIZEMAN) who posts inside info on Scouts site is also happy to have it on Eroc's blog in specific situations. They aren't stealing because what is posted isn't premium information only specific to Scout.

...segments from other U-M blogs and newspapers whole cloth without any attribution and have been called out for it. Some of the "OMG Insyderz" information there is good, but the analysis sucks and the prose makes my eyes bleed.

There are some seriously disgruntled posters on here that have been hurt by Go Blue Wolverine?

Please share your stories because I have no love for Scout either. I am just stating what the facts are between Eroc's blog and GBW. He's a mod on there along with another guy I don't have much respect for and that's Don Jokewater.

CoachBT is cool. Plenty of good info about football and coaching is pretty much straight forward. Eroc is like a girl with a temper he can't control. Don is a jerk, imho.

However, when they turn up in a Google search for a topic, and it is a complete cut and paste from another site (especially sites like MGoBlue) that pays people to do the writing, it annoys me. Basically, they are stealing from them. I don't know MGoBlue's revenue model, but it has to be viewer-based at some level because of the ads. In addition, I personally feel a bit ripped-off because I've wasted my time clicking on something I think is new but is just a cut-and-paste of something I've read two days previously someplace else.

Plus, their site is butt-ugly and has a bunch of betting spam embedded everywhere. Whatever small Maizeman gems get embedded don't make up for the rest, IMO.

Which is not necessarily true, and perhaps is just never true. It doesn't need to personally "hurt" people in order to deserve criticism. If it's a shit blog, then saying "it's a shit blog" doesn't necessarily reveal any personal motivations.

I know questioning the motives of the person making the critique is a fun little way to dodge the nature of the critique, but it gets a bit tiresome after awhile. There's no need to project your own personal feelings onto people with which you disagree.

Maizeman is someone with deep ties to the program, someone with daily access who's been around for years and years. How he ties into Eroc and CoachBT I have no idea. The funny thing about that post is it is basically a cut and paste version of one of Maizeman's updates, only Eroc has replaced the "I think..." with "we think".

Eroc tends to be extremely negative in all aspects of anything RichRod related (thus we get along splendidly....or not). How he became a mod I also have no idea, but their site is by and large a regurgitation of original content created by other people.

In this case the analysis is pretty spot on- but just because it was originally Maizeman's.

problem with. This inside information about coach's private conversations, internal conversations and sources of fricition, players questioning each other in private etc ... Fans knowing things like that does no good at all. I think it is very unprofessional and very un-ethical for someone who is inside the program (probably a maintenace person, or something of that sort) to be acting like a super secret spy. IT HURTS THE PROGRAM AND CUTS THE LEGS OUT FROM UNDERNIETH THE COACHING STAFF.

and of course, i think the technical stuff is wrong a lot too, but im fine with that. That doesnt effect me or the team i route for in a negative why like the other thing does...

I'm sure that person doesnt want to be known, becasue he knows what he does is unethical. The only reason he does it is to be the "i told you so guy", and the guy everyone wants to talk too. I say bullshit dude, if you love michigan football, you would knock that shit off.

could you imagine if somebody did this in bo's time what he would have done if he found out? that person wouldn't have been allowed in Ann Arbor ever again. I hope RR finds out who this is and gets him the hell out of the program that we all love. Not only does shit like that hurt the program, but it disgraces Bo, Bump, Bennie, Crisler, Yost, and many others.

Bao- I know you're a poster on Scout so you've read MM's stuff, and that was word for word from one of the posts Maizeman's been putting up lately (post #1 maybe?). I'm certain Eroc and CoachBT know him IRL so they probably have permission. I generally try not to denigrate people who have put honest effort into their work, but having said that- the copy/paste thing is just silly.

a little overwrought. Sure they suck at writing. Maizeman is a contributor and unless a fantastic liar who just happens to be right, he does have some good observations that (apparently unless you pay for scout) you will not get anywhere else.

Gsimmons point is well taken, but I don't think it is anything beyond what Brian posts when he knows something from the inside.

I don't think they harm the program, and for those who can stand to read the jarbled english it is probably a net positive, but in no event are they anything to get worked up over. It's just an e-blog people.

heard brian post information about "overhearing coaches talking" or tlak about "internal striff among coaches" or "players questioning each other behind close doors" etc.

and if he does, i will call his ass out about it as well. I dont see where any of it are relative to fandom or do any good at all. It goes back to the ole' just becasue i have the right, doesnt mean i should.

Well, I'm not sure we needed an insider to tell us there was internal strife within the program, especially when the sidelines were in utter chaos during the OSU game and one of the players (allegedly Carson Butler) had to be restrained from beating the shit out of the head coach.

has been a member of Scout since at least 2002 (according to his profile). So I am pretty sure his posts (or "leaks" if you're so inclined) aren't exclusive to the Rodriguez regime. and since the coaching staff keeps up on some of the pay sites I am sure its abundantly clear to them who he is on that site, so you can be sure whatever he is posting is perhaps not cleared, but is understood to be fair game before he posts about it.

about that, has he ever identified himself, as to who he is or what he does? if not, that i assume he DOESNT want to be known.. but i could be wrong... i hardly think that LC in all is lockdown mode would be cool with a guy talking about what is going on inside his office to a internet crowd

*people* know who he is. like your general paid subscription to Scout people. But how many people are there who could make this observation (re: Vincent Smith):

Wow! This kid looks small, but does have thick legs. He takes very short, quick steps when he runs and seems to be able to go through the running drills without getting tired. While other kids are close to puking, Smith just stands there hardly breathing.

and not be known to the coaching staff? Barwis sessions aren't exactly open to the public are they? So if the coaching staff knows who could get in to these types of training sessions and that whoever it is has been around since before Rodriguez's staff showed up it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who he is.

and if he knows or suspects they know and is still trying to keep his identity to them a secret then he isn't going to be posting stuff that is all that secretive and important.

so people shouldn't be all worried that there is a mole giving up state secrets.

"...but I don't think it is anything beyond what Brian posts when he knows something from the inside."

If you've ever read his stuff it's clearly more than the access Brian has. My guess is he's possibly the head equipment manager- that guy's been around since the late 70's I think, but I guess whoever it is doesn't really matter.

Bao- he used to send those posts out as emails to an exclusive list of people. Iirc he just started posting them to Scout after Lloyd retired.

I joined last June, and shortly before that there was an email making the rounds about Spring practice and players' performances. It was also posted to a Michigan forum of some sort. I believe it came out later that it was him and he'd decided to start posting them on Scout for everyone.

that his stuff is more insiderish than Brian's stuff but that is not my point. When Brian has solid info, as this anonymous guy claims to have, he generally posts it with a cite to his anonymous source (or "someone who would know").

Would Brian have posted about a conversation between coaches if he had overheard it and it was newsworthy. I don't know, but he has posted about Hopson rumors (leaving, no staying) and other stuff that shows that he is not limited by some line not to cross, but by the level of his information.

While Brian is the only one who can answer whether he thinks the e-blog and maizeman crossed the line with what they reported, whether he thinks so or not, my point is to make sure when you are criticizing the e-blog, you use the same standard on those you actually respect.

my thoughts on the topic of "reporting" rumors, player thoughts, convo's, dissention, etc. are pretty well known around these parts. Its not like there are disclaimers on the internet for prospective recruits to tell them what they are reading is just a blog, rumor, etc.

I dont care if its brian, or fucking jesus, ill call people out when they post stuff that could possible negativly effect the team that i route for. Not saying anyone doesnt have the right to say whatever the fuck they want to say, but i dont have to like it.

My problem isnt with the "this is what i see from practice" pracitce is open anyone can go if they want. my problem is with the "so and so hasnt bought into the system" or "so and so had a secret meeting with coach x about y, stay tuned somethig is going to happen" that shit is in HOUSE, and things in HOUSE need to stay IN HOUSE...

if too much stuff leaks out, expect RR to put the clamps on stuff like LC did. You could see RR gettign frustrated about stuff like that last year...

What I am criticizing the "e-blog" for is the use of other peoples' material. It's all cut and paste info from other sites or made up mailbag questions.

The issue of Maizeman and his inside info is a completely different thing. While I enjoy reading it from a "slow down and gawk at the car accident" standpoint the rumor mongering part of it is detrimental to the program. It may be interesting, but in the end everything other than the competition between players part is just gossip.

As for comparing the e-blog and Brian, and the standards I hold them to, I use the same criteria: I value original content that is well written and informative. Brian passes the test, GBMW doesn't come close. The MM thing is an all together different issue.

I just love the nonsensically redundant term "e-blog". Cracks me up every time I read their stuff.

As for the inside info - I'm not going to lie I love reading it. The post about the early enrollments was probably the most interesting thing they have done thus far. But I did get to thinking when they mentioned some insider stuff about Minor that it could be detrimental to go SO in detail about things that the public really doesn't need to know.

Gsimmons makes good points re keeping conversations meant to be in house, to stay in house. I definitely think the leaking of the rift between Shafer and RR was not a good thing for the program, although dont know whether those guys were responsible for the leaks. With respect to player X or Y being in the dog house. That usually comes out anyway, but I see Gsimmons point and can't say I entirely disagree.